Re: Do I have to use the meta block?

You do not have to use the meta block in any theme.  It was created to
easily customize your meta data, as well as create dynamic items within the
meta namespaces.

You could well have a theme that has no meta information at all (ala RSS
theme) or you could statically create your meta information.  Within the
templates, you have control over the entire name space, so you could also
create 15 html blocks to control the entire output from the blocks itself
and just specify a different block group for a different display position.

The choice is entirely up to you.